Illinois public universities trying to find efficiencies during budget impasse - Greg Bishop, Illinois News

It’s a mixed bag for Illinois’ public universities, which have gone two years without full appropriations from state taxpayers. Some say they’re managing, while others say they’re crumbling. During a House Higher Education Committee hearing last week in Springfield, Illinois State University President Larry Dietz said ISU will continue to find efficiencies and savings in lieu of state funding. “And to try and restore some of that lost confidence in the state, I will ask our board of trustees in May to not increase tuition, fee, room and board rates for the upcoming academic year,” Dietz said, adding that he’s not sure ISU can continue to hold the line in the future. H said he’s optimistic state lawmakers will pass a budget for the coming fiscal year that starts July 1. In the past 22 months, some state tax dollars have gone to public universities and tuition assistance through stopgap funding measures, but the most recent spending plan expired at the beginning of this year and lawmakers have since not acted on releasing funds by passing a budget on to the governor. http://ilnews.org/news/schools/illinois-public-universities-trying-to-find-efficiencies-during-budget-impasse/article_a29cc96a-251a-11e7-9d63-17dfe88c234e.html